Goodison Park

What Is Goodison Park Like?

Looking from the outside, Goodison Park, with its tall stands seems huge. The crowds filling the narrow streets around the ground on matchday, make you feel that you are going back in time, to when the outside of every football ground appeared like this. However, that’s Goodison’s problem. Apart from the modern Park Stand (which has an electric scoreboard on its roof and was opened in 1994), the rest of the ground looks tired. Yes, the ground is still large, but it needs modernising. For example, there are lots of supporting pillars and the ground just looks as if it has seen better days. Nevertheless, unlike some new grounds, Goodison oozes character and the three-tiered Main Stand, which was opened in 1971, is still an impressive sight. There are two large video screens at opposite corners of the ground. If you are a home/neutral fan who is not scared of heights then try and get a ticket for the top balcony of the Main Stand. Not only do you get a ‘birds eye’ view of the game, but also views across Stanley Park, with Anfield in the distance. Now thinking about it if you were an Everton fan you probably wouldn’t want to see Anfield during the game, so this advice is for neutrals!

A unique feature of the stadium is a church called St Lukes which sits just beyond the video screen in one corner of the ground (selling teas & snacks at reasonable prices on matchdays). If you have time before the game look out for the statue behind the Park Stand; a tribute to the legend that was Dixie Dean. After all these years, the Everton team still come out to the theme tune of the old police television series, Z Cars, which was popular in the 1960s and 70s.

The Club have renamed both ends of the ground. The Gwladys Street End is now called the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End, after former player and the Club’s most successful Manager Howard Kendall. Whilst the Park Stand is now known as the Sir Philip Carter Park End, named after a former Chairman.

New Stadium Proposals

Bonkers as it may seem with the last major renovations at Goodison Park only taking place in 1994, talk of a stadium move have been on the cards since just two years later. Of course, it’s yet to happen. We do know a bit about Everton’s new stadium though. It will be located on the Bramley Moore dock and has been designed by world renowned architects MEIS; they’ve constructed countless projects in the US with other sports stadia built in Qatar, China and Brazil to name just a few.

The new Everton ground will seat 52,000. That’s a significant upgrade on Goodison Park and could grow further with scope to push to 62,000 if required. On building, it will be fully seated but the lower tiers will be constructed for easy conversion for standing if rule changes come into play as has widely been rumoured. In terms of design, the stadium will be constructed of brick, steel and glass and should cut a classy looking figure as it pays homage to the maritime trade the dock was once known for. The club will leave Goodison Park and move into the new Everton ground for the 2024 season. It is estimated that the stadium will cost around £500m to build and Liang O’Rourke have been appointed to construct it. The site of the new stadium is 2.5 miles away from Goodison Park, which will be redeveloped as a residential area.

An Artists Impression On How The New Stadium Will Look

The image above is courtesy of the Everton FC website more images and information can be found.

What is it like for visiting supporters?

Away fans are located in one corner of the two-tiered, Bullens Road Stand, which is at the side of the pitch, where just over 3,000 away fans can be accommodated. If a small following is expected, then only the lower tier is allocated, which holds 1,700. For larger followings then the upper tier is also made available. If you can, try to avoid getting get tickets for the rear sections of both the upper and lower tiers, as the view can be quite poor. For example, in the rear of the lower tier, there are a number of supporting pillars that can hinder your view, the seating is of the old wooden type and the gap between rows is tight. The front of the lower tier is a lot better having newer seats and no supporting pillars to contend with. The rear of the upper tier also has problems as Neil Theasby a visiting Hull City supporter informs me; ‘Our seats were on the very back Row S and the view was awful! There were two obscuring pillars but worse than that the angle of the roof meant that you couldn’t see the video screen and the view of the opposite touchline were also partly obscured’. The facilities within the stand are basic and it is really showing its age (it was first opened in 1926). However, away fans can generate some noise from this area, making for a great atmosphere. The catering from the small concourse area includes; Hot Dogs (£4.40), Beef Burgers (£4.20), Steak Pie, Meat & Potato Pie, Cheese & Onion Pie, Bombay & Vegetable Pie (all £3.40) and Sausage Rolls (£3.10).

I have enjoyed a number of good days out at Goodison. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, with both sets of fans mixing freely before the game. In keeping with tradition they still have someone walking around the pitch before the game, throwing toffees into the crowd, which is a nice touch. If you arrive at the ground early then there is a small fan zone located in the car park behind the Park Stand. The fan zone has entertainment as well as eating and drinking outlets and away fans are able to gain entry. Neil Thompson a visiting Preston supporter adds; ‘The stewards inside the ground were superb and the best I have seen at any ground. They just ran things with a sensible head and communicated with people, first class. There are a lot of grounds that can learn from the Everton stewarding’. The Club have automatic turnstiles, meaning that you have to insert your ticket into a bar code reader to gain admittance.

On a poignant note, if you do happen to notice some flowers lying around the perimeter of the pitch, this is because the ashes of a number of supporters (over 800) have been interred around it.

Pubs for away fans

Behind the Park Stand is a small outdoor fan zone which serves alcohol, as well as food. Currently visiting supporters are allowed free entry into the fanzone. About a 15 minute walk away from the visiting supporters entrance, is the Thomas Frost pub on Walton Road. This Wetherspoon outlet is a fair sized pub, that had a good mixture of home and away supporters when I last visited. Rob Elmour adds; ‘We found the Thomas Frost on Walton Road packed out, so we tried the Bradleys Wine Bar, which is just further down and across the road. It was very good. not a wine bar at all but a proper family run local with a good selection of beers including some real ales. Good mix of fans all very friendly.’ More information can be found on the website. Peter Bennett suggests The Spellow just outside Goodison Park, whilst John Ellis a visiting fan informs me; ‘Along Walton Lane, on the corner of Cherry Lane is the Liverpool Taxi Cab Drivers, Sports and Social Club. On our visit, there was a good mix of home and away supporters. The Club charges a £1 entry fee.’

Otherwise you can walk along Priory Road (where the away coaches drop off and park) or across Stanley Park, going away from Goodison over towards Anfield. The Arkles pub, the usual haunt of away fans visiting Anfield is also popular with away fans going to Goodison. It is about a 10-15 minute walk. At the end of Priory Road, turn right into Arkles Lane and the pub is up on the left. It also shows Sky Sports.

Tom Hughes adds ‘The city centre is usually the best bet for a pre-match drink, There are hundreds of pubs available ranging from designer types to real-ale and saw dust bars. Near Lime Street Station there is the big house (the Vines) next to the Adelphi which is worth a visit. Nearer Goodison ‘The Hermitage’ (a friendly pub, 5/10 minutes walk up Walton Lane and under the bridge) on Queens Drive is also okay.’

There is a Wetherspoons across the road from Lime Street Station, plus at the station itself, is the Head of Steam, which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and also has a large screen showing sporting events. Also, the nearby Crown pub also recommended to me. Alcohol is served in the away section of the ground in the form of Carling (500ml Bottle £4.10), Coors (330ml Bottle £3.80), Kingstone Press (500ml Bottle £4.10), Red or White Wine (187ml Bottle £4.40). The Club also offers a Pie and a bottle of Carling for £7.20 as well as four bottles of Carling for £15.50. Please note though that the club stop serving alcohol 15 minutes before the first half kick off and the queues at half time can get pretty horrendous.

Directions and Car Parking

Follow the M62 until you reach the end of the motorway (beware of a 50mph speed camera about a 1/4 of a mile from the end of the motorway). Then keep right and take the A5058 Ring Road North, signposted Football Stadia. After three miles turn left at the traffic lights into Utting Avenue (there is a McDonalds on the corner of this junction). Proceed for one mile and then turn right at the corner of Stanley Park into Priory Road. Goodison is at the end of this road.

Car Parking

There is a car park in nearby Stanley Park which costs £10. The entrance to the car park is in Priory Road. Randy Coldham adds; ‘If you approach from the M57 (to join the M57, leave the M62 at Junction 6), and then leave the M57 at Junction 4. Take the A580 towards Liverpool, and on the right, you will reach the Walton Lifestyles Sports Centre (L4 9XP) where you can park for £7. It is then a 15 minute walk to Goodison with a very good Chinese Chippy on the way. By parking there you are well away from the traffics jams that you tend to get at Stanley Park after the match and only a five minute drive from the motorway system. Otherwise it is a case of finding some street parking, however, please take note that there is a Residents Only Parking Scheme in operation around the nearby area, so pay attention to those signposts. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near Goodison Park via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Post Code for SAT NAV: L4 4EL

By Train

Kirkdale Railway Station is the closest to the ground (just under a mile away). However, it may be more advisable to go to Sandhills Railway Station as this has the benefit of a bus service to the ground, which runs for a couple of hours before the game and around 50 minutes after the final whistle. The bus drops you off within easy walking distance of Goodison Park. The Soccerbus costs Adults (£3.50 return, £2 single), Child (£1.50 return, £1 single).

Gary Beaumont adds; ‘The best route for away fans from the city centre if they want to use public transport is definitely the Merseyrail Northern Line to Sandhills where they alight and catch the special Soccerbuses; trains can be caught from Liverpool Central. If fans are buying their train tickets in Liverpool, ask for a return to Goodison Park as opposed to Sandhills even though that’s where you’re getting off. The advantage of doing this is that the train ticket is valid also for the Soccerbus and the additional fare is only £3 return as opposed to £3.50 that you’d have to pay on the bus if you only bought your ticket to Sandhills. Both Sandhills & Kirkdale stations and can be reached by first getting a train from Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool Central and then changing there for Kirkdale. Patrick Burke adds; ‘Although I would recommend using the Soccerbus to get to the ground, afterwards you may wish to look at alternatives, such as grabbing a taxi into Liverpool, or walking to Kirkdale railway station. This is because the Soccerbus is normally very cramped after the game, plus you may have to wait sometime to get on a bus (up to half an hour if there is a big queue) and it can then take 20 minutes or so for the bus to make its way from the ground’.

On exiting from Kirkdale Station turn right and then cross the railway bridge. At the traffic lights go straight on up Westminster Road, for about 400yds and then you’ll see the Elm Tree pub. Turn left at the pub into Barlow Lane. You will reach the main County Road (A59). Cross over County Road at the traffic lights and then proceed down Spellow Lane you will reach Goodison Park on the left. On the whole it is a fairly straightforward walk and there are plenty of other fans to follow if you are unsure of the way.

From Liverpool Lime Street By Bus Or Taxi

The main railway station in Liverpool is Lime Street which is over three miles from the ground and is really too far to walk (although it is mostly downhill on the way back to the station), so either head for Kirkdale station or jump in a taxi (about £8). Iain Badger ‘The easiest way to get to the ground from the city centre is to use the 919 Special buses from Stand 10 in St John’s Lane. This is just across the road from Lime Street station and down the left hand side of St George’s Hall if you stand outside the rail station looking directly at the hall building. The buses start running two hours prior to kick off and drop you by the club shop at the ground. The buses run from the other side of the street for the return journey. A single fare is £2.20. The 919 takes only 10 minutes to get to the ground and doesn’t stop on the route.’

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Ticket Prices

Everton operates a category system of ticket pricing (A & B), whereby the most popular games cost more to watch. Category A prices are shown below with other Categorie B prices shown in brackets:

Home Fans

Main Stand:
Adults £48 (B £44), Over 65’s £31 (B £28), Under 16’s £24 (B £22)
Main Stand Top Balcony:
Adults £46 (B £42), Over 65’s £30 (B £27), Under 16’s £23 (B £21)
Bullens Stand (Upper Tier):
Adults £48 (B £44) (C £41), Over 65’s £31 (B £28), Under 16’s £24 (B £22)
Bullens Stand (Lower Tier):
Adults £43 (B £39), Over 65’s £28 (B £26), Under 16’s £21 (B £19)
Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End (Upper Tier):
Adults £46 (B £42), Over 65’s £30 (B £27), Under 16’s £23 (B £21)
Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End (Lower Tier):
Adults £43 (B £39), Over 65’s £28 (B £26), Under 16’s £21 (B £19)
Park Stand:
Adults £49 (B £45), Over 65’s £32 (B £29), Under 16’s £24 (B £22)
Family Enclosure*
Adults £42 (B £38), Over 65’s £29 (B £26), Under 16’s £21 (B £19)

Away Fans

As per an agreement with all Premier League Clubs, away fans will be charged a maximum price of those shown below for all League games:

Bullens Stand (Upper Tier):
Adults £30
Over 65’s £21
Under 18’s £16

* Must be a minimum of 1 child per two adults.

Book Train Tickets With Trainline

Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.

Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.

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Programme and Fanzine

Official Programme £3.50
When Skies Are Grey Fanzine £2

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Buy Everton Match Tickets From Stubhub

StubHub is the official ticketing marketplace partner of Everton FC. This allows season ticket holders to sell tickets for individual matches where they are unable to attend. As they are being sold by supporters, prices tend to be normally more reasonable than going through a ticketing agency. Please note these tickets are for Home or Neutral supporters only. Check out their current availability of Everton FC Tickets.

Local Rivals

Everton vs Liverpool rivalry: There is no disputing that the red vs blue battle on Merseyside is the biggest derby game Everton partake in. In fact, the Merseyside derby is one of the most recognised rivalries in world football. It all dates back to a quibble over the Anfield stadium; it was once Everton’s home but the eventually moved on to Goodison Park. Nowadays, the two stadiums – Goodison Park and Anfield – are visible from one another such is their close proximity. Given that it’s little surprise the games are still a source of immense tension. Don’t be fooled by the ‘friendly derby’ tag either; the Everton vs Liverpool rivalry is anything but friendly.

Fixtures 2019-2020

Everton FC fixture list (to take you to the BBC Sports Website)

Dixie Dean Statue

Behind the Park End Stand is a statue of legendary club forward Dixie Dean.

The statue plinth reads;

William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean
1907-1980
377 goals in 431 games, including
a record 60 league goals in season 1927-28
FOOTBALLER – GENTLEMAN – EVERTONIAN

Disabled facilities

For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.

Goodison Park Stadium Tours

Tours of Goodison Park are available at a cost of; Adults £15, Concessions £10 and Under 19’s £5. Tours take place most days apart from matchdays. The first tours of the day start at 10am. Tours can be booked online or by calling the Club on 0151 556 1878 to book.

The history of the Everton Stadium

When Everton were first formed they played their home matches at Stanley Park; that only lasted as their own ground for a few years though before they became a tenant of the now Liverpool stadium, Anfield. The Toffees remained their for eight years before rent became a sticking point. Everton wouldn’t be held to ransom and opted for Goodison Park; it was the first true football ground to have been built in England. Despite the original build taking place in 1892 additions like under ground heating were very much innovations at the time they were made.

The original capacity of the Everton stadium was 12,000 made up of both covered and uncovered stands. Within three years of moving in Everton bought Goodison Park and, very quickly, further enhancements were made. Roofing was added to the uncovered stands almost immediately and within a decade a two-tiered conversion was in the works fo boost the capacity; that was on the Goodison Avenue stand. Fast forward another 20 years and the Goodison Road stand was getting the same treatment with a combination of an additional tier and terracing being added.

Changes over the next 40 years were minimal with covered dugouts – an English first – the main change coming in 1931. Other, more decorative tweaks, were made in the sixties ahead of the World Cup where Goodison would host several games including the West Germany vs Soviet Union semi final. Rebuilds have taken place since then with the Goodison Road stand and Park End both getting the treatment at different times. Since the early nineties though changes have been largely cosmetic.